Featured Advice

Careers rarely develop the way we plan them. Our career path often takes many twists and turns, with particular events, choices and people influencing our direction.

We asked Brian Kelly from BioPharmachem Ireland to give some advice for people considering this job:

Go for it! But realise that its not going to be easy and things take time and there are LOTS of sacrifices to make. Also make sure you learn from your mistakes - because you will make them. It is really only a mistake if you don't learn from it.

Featured Content

Self Assessment

What are your interests?

Creative?

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

Career Advice Exploring Education Options

If you are not willing to learn No one can help you If you are determined to learn No one can stop you

Education used to be thought of as something you finished once you left school. Nowadays, learning is encouraged at all times during your life – including well into retirement. Learning more about something that interests us is usually a rewarding experience, as we get to satisfy our natural curiosity and develop skills and a greater understanding in the area.

Courses and Levels

From a careers point of view, completing a course that is accredited by a recognised authority is essential. In Ireland, the Quality & Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the agency responsible for ensuring course providers provide education & training to the required standards. The QQI also produce the National Framework of Qualifications, which sets out clearly the level of education & training the course is designed to achieve (10 levels from basic to Doctoral)

When undertaking a course for the purpose of furthering your career, it is very important that the course is accredited by a recognised authority in the relevant industry. It is also important to understand the levels as defined by the NFQ, and the progression routes that may be available (a QQI Level 6 award can be used as a stepping stone to a higher award in a related area, e.g. a Level 7 award). More Information here

Courses and Careers

The connection between courses and careers is often not very straightforward. In a very real sense, all education forms part of your career journey, as you become equipped with skills and knowledge that may be relevant at any stage in your life. Completing any course is a milestone on any career journey, as it offers an external validation of your skills / knowledge, and one that is valued by employers.

As a general rule if you aren’t sure what career direction to move in, you should simply extend your general education. If you have an idea which career area you want to pursue, but no particular occupation in specific, then take a general course in that area. Choosing a course that is strongly focused on a particular occupational area (e.g. Vet, Accountant, Civil Engineer) is recommended only if you are quite certain that that is the path for you.

The level of commitment you make in terms of time also needs to be considered – some undergraduate courses last 3 or 4 years, but you might prefer to opt out after one or two years. Choosing a shorter course with progression opportunities e.g. a 2 year Level 6 course may suit you more than a 4 year commitment to a Level 8 Honours Degree course. In these cases you will receive an award after two years, with the option to build up to a Level 7 and 8 award as you complete the required learning.

Upskilling & Continuous Professional Development

As our labour market changes focus in the direction of a knowledge economy, more and more people who have fallen out of the jobs market, or who want to embrace and be prepared for the new opportunities that arise, are undertaking courses designed to increase their skills. Many such courses are financially supported by the government (see Upskilling Initiatives) and others can be found throughout the Further and Higher education sectors.

Non-Vocational Courses

Thousands of people undertake formal and informal courses at various levels purely out of interest. This is an increasingly popular pastime for people across Ireland. It is also an excellent opportunity to develop knowledge and skills that may in the future play a part in your career development. View Lifelong Learning courses here.